Action of 2 May 1707
|result =French victory |combatant1 = |combatant2 = This battle occurred one or two days after the Acts of Union of 1707. |commander1 = Claude de Forbin |commander2 = Commodore Baron Wylde |strength1 =7 Ships of the line 6 Privateers |strength2 =3 Ships of the line 52 Merchantmen |casualties1 =Light |casualties2 =2 Ships of the line capturedAllen p.101 21 merchantmen capturedAllen p.101 |campaignbox = }} The Action of 2 May 1707, also known as Beachy Head, was a naval battle of the War of the Spanish Succession in which a French squadron under Claude de Forbin, intercepted a large British convoy escorted by three ships of the line, under Commodore Baron Wylde. The Action began when 3 French ships, the Grifon, Blackoal and Dauphine, grappled the ''HMS Hampton Court'', killing her captain, George Clements, and taking her. Claude Forbin's 60-gun Mars next attacked the ''HMS Grafton'' and, when joined by the French ships Blackoal and Fidèle, killed his Captain Edward Acton, and took her too.Haws/Hurst p.347 The convoy was scattered and the last British escort, the ''HMS Royal Oak'', badly hit and with 12 feet of water in her wells, managed to escape by running ashore near Dungeness, from where she was carried the next day into the Downs.Haws/Hurst p.347 The French took 21 sail of merchant ships, besides the two 70-gun Ships of the line, and carried them all into Dunkirk.Allen p.101 Action On 1 May a large outward-bound convoy for the West Indies, under the protection of three ships of the line, sailed from the Downs and being six leagues to the westward of Beachy, they fell in with the French squadron from Dunkirk, commanded by Claude de Forbin. This squadron consisted of 7 sail of the line and 6 privateers.Troude 259 The Action began when 3 French ships, the Griffon, Blackoal and La Dauphine, grappled the HMS Hampton Court and killed Captain Clements. Commodore Wyld took five of his largest merchant ships into his line and boldly met the attack of the French ships.Haws/Hurst p.347 For two and a half hours a heavy fire was kept up on both sides; The Hampton Court fought desperately and was obliged to surrender.Allen p.101 La Dauphine next vigorously attacked the HMS Grafton and when joined by the French ships Blackoal and Fidele, captured her after a warm dispute of half an hour.Haws/Hurst p.347 Claude Forbin's 60-gun Mars attacked Commodore Wyld's HMS Royal Oak. The ship having eleven feet water in her hold, managed to escape with great loss by running ashore, from where she was carried into the Downs.Allen p.101 Order of battle France * Mars 60 Capitaine chevalier de Forbin.Troude 259 * La Dauphine 56 - Comte de Roquefeuil.Troude 259 * Fidèle 56 - Baron d'Arey.Troude 259 * Blackoal 54 - de Tourouvre.Troude 259 * Salisbury 50 - Chevalier de Vezins.Troude 259 * Griffon 50 - Chevalir de Nangis.Troude 259 * Protée 50 - Comte d'Illiers.Troude 259 6 Privateers.Troude 259 Britain * ''HMS Royal Oak'' 76 - Commodore Baron Wylde, Escaped.Allen p.101 * ''HMS Hampton Court'' 70 - Captain George Clements , Captured.Allen p.101 * ''HMS Grafton'' 70 - Captain Edward Acton , Captured.Allen p.101 55 Merchant ships. References Bibliography * Haws, Duncan; Hurst, Alexander Anthony (1985). The Maritime History of the World: A Chronological Survey of Maritime Events from 5,000 B.C. Until the Present Day. Vol I. ISBN 978-0-903662-10-9. * Allen, Joseph. Battles of the British Navy: from A.D. 1000 to 1840 Bell & Daldy publishing, ASIN B00087UD9S * Troude, O. Batailles navales de la France, Vol. I. Category:Conflicts in 1707 Category:Naval battles involving Great Britain Category:Naval battles involving France Category:Naval battles of the War of the Spanish Succession Category:1707 in France Category:1707 in Great Britain Category:18th-century military history of France